The Way Things Are Supposed to Be
by A Sainted Sinner
Summary: Takes place following Tim and Lyla's conversation at Billy and Mindy's wedding. How I would've liked things to go. :D
1. Chapter 1

**AN: So this week has been a baby fever week and after watching the first three seasons of Friday Night Lights, this story for Lyla and Tim won't get out of my head. It's angst-filled to start, but don't worry. It will have a happy ending! I have a couple of ideas for my Puckleberry story, so keep an eye out for new chapters for that! This story takes place after Billy and Mindy's wedding, so no, Tim will not be going to jail. ;)**

Flashback:

_"Don't make me be that guy, Lyla. You have to go to Vanderbilt," Tim told her, his hands seeking hers out, his fingers wrapping around hers. Lyla looked up at him, shaking her head easily. "Tim, I'm not going to Vanderbilt because I'm pregnant," she told him softly. His eyes widened as he looked at her and then down at her stomach before looking back at her. "You … Pregnant? Are you sure?" he asked softly. Lyla let out a soft laugh, nodding her head. "Yes, Tim, I'm sure," she said softly. "Are you … I mean is this …" Tim made a frustrated noise, his fingers gripping hers. All he could think about was how he'd been jealous of Billy just the day before and now it seemed like his wishes were being answered. Lyla smiled, leaning forward to kiss him softly. "It's going to be hard and we're going to struggle, but I want this. I want this life with you, Tim," she told him. Tim nodded, leaning forward to kiss her back._

In the end, neither one of them had ended up at San Antonio State University. Tim had given up his scholarship in favor of an assistant coach position with Eric Taylor at East Dillon High School. When Tim and Lyla had sat down with Eric and Tami and laid it all on the line, Eric had been quick to offer him a job. This was a different Tim Riggins and Eric was hoping that by giving Tim a different role model than his brother Billy that he might just have a chance at all those things he wanted. Tami had helped Lyla to sign up for correspondence classes with the local junior college and the two had settled in. There were tough moments, and fights, but they were managing.

In August, their world would come crashing down for a short time. Tim had been at practice with the team and Eric when his cell phone had started buzzing in his pocket. At first, he ignored it but when it buzzed again, he pulled it out to check the caller ID. He frowned, fear tugging at his belly. Lyla never called him during practice. He quickly flipped his phone open, holding it to the side of his head. "Lyla? Everything okay?" he asked her, his pulse speeding up quickly when he heard the sounds of Lyla's sobs before he heard her voice.

"I'm bleeding … and it's bad. I need you to come home," Lyla sobbed out. When the bleeding had started that morning, she hadn't worried too much. It hadn't been a lot and she knew spotting in the first trimester could be completely normal. But by afternoon she had started to bleed heavier and the cramps were worse than anything she'd ever experienced before. Tim's face paled when he heard her and his head snapped up to look at Eric.

Eric, having seen Tim taking a phone call during practice, had stalked over to ask the young coach if he really wanted this job but the look on the young man's face had stopped him. "Tim, what is it?" Eric asked him. "I'll be home in ten, Garrity," Tim forced the words out before he closed the phone. "Um, Lyla's bleeding, Coach, and she says it's really bad," he said, his eyes finally moving away from his phone to look up at Eric. Eric squeezed his shoulder easily. "Go home, son. Go home to her. Call me or Tami if you need anything," he told him. Tim nodded gratefully before grabbing his keys and sprinting to the truck. He made it home in less than ten and was suddenly grateful for their close proximity to the school.

"Lyla? Lyla, where are you?" Tim closed the door to their apartment, tossing his keys onto the table. "Ba-bathroom!" Lyla called back, barely managing to get the words out before the sound of vomiting filled the apartment. Tim sprinted into the bathroom and visibly paled when he saw the blood under her, spreading over the tile, as she heaved violently into the toilet. Tim rushed to her side, gathering her hair back as she continued to heave, his large hand rubbing over her back. When she was done, she wiped her mouth before collapsing against his chest with heavy sobs. "Shhh, babe, it's gonna be okay," he whispered to her, hugging her close. He pulled back a bit, taking in her appearance and he dug his phone out of his pocket, dialing Tami's cell phone number.

"Tami Taylor," she answered in her soft accent. "Uh, Mrs … Mrs. Taylor. It's Tim Riggins. Listen, I'm sure you're busy but … can you come over? I really need you to come over right now," Tim said, a sense of urgency in his voice under the shaking. Tami's head snapped up when she heard the tone of his voice and she jumped up from behind her desk. "I'll be right there, Tim," she assured him as she grabbed her purse and her keys, flying out of her office. She almost ran into Eric as she was leaving. "What's going on?" she asked him, hurrying out to the car with him. "Lyla called Tim at practice. She's bleeding pretty bad," Eric told her. Tami bit her lip, picking up speed as they ran to the car.

Tim reached up, grabbing the washcloth off the edge of the sink, ringing it out and pressing it against her face. He didn't like how pale Lyla was and he wasn't sure if it was from blood loss or pain. Lyla let out a low moan, her arms tightening around her midsection as another wave of pain washed over her. "I know, baby. I know," he murmured, trying to calm her any way he could. Lyla started to cry again, her fingers gripping his tightly. He dipped his head to kiss her fingers, nuzzling her knuckles with his nose for a moment. He looked up when he heard voices at the door and he realized he'd never felt so relieved in his life as when Tami Taylor walked into their bathroom.

Tami's eyes widened when she saw the state Lyla was in and she hurried over to the young girl. She brushed her hair back from her face, tears in her own eyes when Lyla opened her eyes to look up at her. "I know, honey, I know," she whispered, squeezing her hand. "I think we need to get you to the hospital," she told her with a nod of her head. "I really think it's best to get you checked out," she told her. Lyla nodded, licking her pale lips. "Okay," she agreed with a whisper. Tami looked over at Tim. "Hon, get some towels, okay? We'll put them under her in the truck," she told him.

Tim nodded and slid up, pulling the bathroom cabinet open. He grabbed the towels and handed them over to Eric when he held his hands out for them before bending over to pick Lyla up easily. He cradled her body against his, not even noticing the blood stains on his knees from where he'd knelt in the blood on the floor. His head spun sickly for a moment at the amount of blood on the floor when he lifted her but he shook his head to clear it as he carried her out to the Taylor's truck. Eric laid the towels in the back and Tim set Lyla on them before climbing in after her.

The ride was quick, and silent, punctuated every so often by soft sobs or moans coming from Lyla with fresh waves of pain. Tami ran in ahead of them to talk to the triage nurse while Tim carried Lyla in. The nurse hurried them back to an exam room and then ran to get a doctor. The nurses quickly undressed Lyla and tried to get Tim to leave, but neither he nor Lyla were having any of that. The doctor came in to examine her and run a quick ultrasound before confirming what the young couple already knew: Lyla had lost the baby.

Lyla bit her lip, stifling a sob as she gripped Tim's hand tighter. The doctor explained that she was still bleeding pretty heavily and therefore he wanted to do a D&C to make sure that her body was expelling everything on it's own. He explained that she would have to be put under for the procedure but that it would be quick and that Tim could be in recovery with her when she woke up. Lyla nodded her understanding, squeezing Tim's hand to give him permission to sign the forms. He leaned down to kiss her while the doctor booked an OR, moving his fingers through her hair.

"I'll be right here when you wake up, okay?" he promised her, his fingers rubbing against hers. Lyla nodded, sniffling softly. "I love you," she said softly. "I'm sorry," she started to sob again. "Hey, hey, now. None of that," Tim wiped her tears, kissing her temple. "It's not your fault, baby. These things just happen. It's not your fault at all," he promised her. When the orderlies came to move her, he kissed her again. "I love you. I'll see you when you wake up," he told her. He waited until they'd wheeled her away before he went out to update Eric and Tami on what was going on.

Tami jumped up when she saw him, moving over to hug the young man tightly. Tim returned the hug gratefully, his body shuddering with a sob as he held onto her. Eric came over, squeezing his shoulder easily. "How is she, son?" he asked softly. Tim shifted, lifting his head as he wiped his face. "She's going to be okay. They're um … they're doing some procedure because they're worried about … retained …" he trailed off, trying to remember what the doctor had told them. "Retained products of conception?" Tami asked softly. Tim nodded quickly, a sob hiccupping in his chest. Tami nodded her head, rubbing his back easily. "She's going to be fine, honey," she promised him as they lead him over, easing him into a chair.

Eric looked at the blood on Tim's clothes and quickly called Julie, stepping outside to take the call. "Jules, honey, it's daddy. I need a huge favor from you," he explained to her what was going on and asked her to swing by Tim and Lyla's to get him a change of clothes. Julie quickly agreed and headed over to Tim and Lyla's with Gracie Belle, getting Tim a change of clothes. She gasped when she saw the mess in the bathroom, closing her eyes as she said a silent prayer. Once she'd gotten the clothes, and a spare pair for Lyla figuring the ones she'd been wearing were ruined, she headed over to the hospital with the clothes.

Tim looked up when he heard Gracie squeal his name. The nearly two-year-old still had a soft spot for the fullback. Tim couldn't help but smile a bit when he saw Gracie and he stood up, moving over. "Hold on, Gracie Belle," he told her, kissing her cheek as he took the clothes from Julie with a grateful smile. He went into the bathroom to change his clothes, balling up the bloodied ones and throwing them away. He came back out and easily took the toddler, settling back into the same chair. Gracie seemed to know that things were different today and she snuggled against Tim's chest with a quiet sigh. Tim kissed the top of her head, rubbing his hand up and down her back easily.

It was over an hour before the doctor came out to talk to them. Tim jumped up, nearly scaring Gracie in the process. Tami took Gracie easily as Tim hurried over to talk to the doctor. "She's going to be just fine, son. We're giving her some blood to bring her counts back up, but everything went as expected. I'll take you back to her now," he said. Tim looked over his shoulder at the Taylors, giving them a grateful smile. Tami waved her hand. "You go, hon. We'll wait here," she assured him. Tim followed the doctor back, wringing his hands in the bottom of his shirt. "Um, doc … will we be able … I mean can she still?"

The doctor smiled easily, squeezing Tim's arm. "She's perfectly healthy, son. I have no doubt you two will still be able to have children. These things just happened sometimes and they're often flukes, so don't you worry about it. When her body is healed, you'll be able to try again," he assured him. Tim nodded his head, thanking him quietly as he stepped into Lyla's room. His breath caught in his chest as he took in the sight of her. She looked as white as the sheets she was laying on. He moved over, sitting in the chair beside her bed, taking her hand in his as he waited for her to wake up.

Lyla shifted, moaning softly as she started to come back to consciousness. She swallowed thickly, making a face at how much it hurt. Tim shifted up, getting the cup of water from the table. The nurse had told him that her throat might be sore from the breathing tube that had been down her throat during the procedure. "Here, babe. This'll help," he slid his arm under Lyla's shoulders and helped her to sit up, holding the straw to her lips. Lyla drank deeply before laying back against the sheets. She closed her eyes, quiet for a moment before she began to speak. "This isn't exactly how I pictured this hospital stay," she whispered quietly, her fingers threading through Tim's as she laid against the pillows.

"I know, darling," Tim said softly, kissing her knuckles easily. Lyla nodded, blinking back tears. Tim leaned over, kissing her cheek softly. "I talked to the doctor. He said everything went according to plan and that when you're healed … when you're feeling up to it … we can try again." Lyla opened her eyes, looking over at Tim. "Do you … want to try again?" she asked him softly. "I mean, not that we really tried the first time," she said, a hint of a smile on her face. Tim laughed softly, rubbing her hands between his and nodded his head. "Yeah, I do. I mean, if you want to. This time just wasn't right for us, but I know it's gonna happen," he told her honestly.

Lyla smiled softly, nodding her head. "I want it, Tim. I want it bad," she told him, stifling a yawn. He smiled softly, kissing her cheek. "You need to get some rest, okay? We'll talk more later," he told her, his fingers squeezing hers as she drifted back off to sleep. He watched her, blowing out a shaky breath as tears filled his eyes. He was sad, but above all he was grateful that she was okay, that they would be okay.


	2. Chapter 2

* ONE YEAR LATER *

"Gracie Belle Taylor! You cannot run around out here naked! You'll get a sunburn on your bum!" Lyla yelled after the toddler. Ever since the miscarriage, she'd taken to watching her while Tami and Eric were at work. It had happened on accident one day when Gracie had been too sick for daycare, but Lyla had enjoyed it more than she'd thought she would and she'd approached Tami, asking if she could do it for them every day. It had been more healing for the young girl than anyone could have ever expected and Gracie loved the fact that she was there when Tim came home.

Gracie laughed and started running around the back yard even faster, knowing that Lyla couldn't keep up with her as much these days. With three weeks to go 'til Lyla's due date, she wasn't moving as fast as she once did. Lyla let out a groan, even though she couldn't help but laugh a bit. Tomorrow, she'd have to remember to sunscreen Gracie everywhere before putting her bathing suit on, just in case another moment like this happened. The back door opened and she turned, grinning easily when she saw Tim there. "Gracie Belle! This is not a nudist colony!" Tim's deep voice carried across the back yard. The toddler turned, screaming in delight when she saw Tim and she went running for him, throwing herself at his legs. Tim laughed as he picked her up, pressing kisses against her face. "You need to get dressed. Your mama's making dinner for us," he told her.

Lyla grinned as she watched them, her hands bracing her back. Chasing after Gracie was getting more and more tiring and harder on her back, but she wasn't giving it up until she went into labor. She loved the little girl too much and it was too much fun. She leaned over, kissing Tim's cheek. "I'm going to change real fast while you get her dressed and then we can head over to the Taylor's," she told him as she headed inside. It was their weekly ritual now. On Wednesdays, instead of Tami or Eric dropping by to pick Gracie up, Tim and Lyla brought her home and then stayed for dinner. It was something Lyla cherished, especially since her own mother was halfway across the country. Having Tami to lean on through the last year, between the miscarriage and the new pregnancy, had been a god send.

Tami looked up as she heard the front door open and she peeked her head out of the kitchen, grinning when she saw Tim coming down the hallway with Gracie in his arms. Lyla was behind him, dressed in a summer dress that Tami had given her, her hair pulled back in a French braid. Lyla looked up, giving Tami a sly grin. "Why didn't you warn me about being pregnant in August?" she whined, even though the whine was playful. Tami laughed as she moved over, hugging Lyla close. "Eric finally fixed the air conditioner. You go sit down on the couch and I've got a glass of lemonade with your name on it."

Lyla grinned and moved over easily, dropping down onto the couch. She wasn't as graceful these days but she also didn't care to be. She rubbed a hand over her stomach, trying to soothe the wild life inside. Gracie wiggled down from Tim's arms and ran over, resting her head on Lyla's stomach. She loved when Lyla's belly would wiggle and move with the movements of the baby inside. "Hi, baby!" she cooed, her little hands patting against the sides of Lyla's belly. Lyla grinned, moving her fingers through Gracie's hair. "Is the baby saying hi back?" she asked her softly. Gracie nodded, letting out another giggle. Tim grinned as he watched them, bending over to kiss Lyla before he headed out back to help Eric with the grill.

Lyle shifted, taking the glass from Tami gratefully. "I know I have another three weeks, but next week is supposed to be even hotter. I don't know what I'm going to do then," she said softly. She hated to complain, especially after what had happened last August, but some days she thought she was going to melt into a puddle. Tami grinned easily, patting her knee. "We'll go to the pool tomorrow. I spent my last days pregnant with Gracie Belle there because it was the only place I was cool," she chuckled softly. Lyla grinned, nodding her head. "That sounds like a great plan," she said, leaning back against the couch. She rubbed her hand over her stomach again, rubbing a tight spot. The Braxton Hick's contractions were more annoying than anything, which she was glad for. She'd been worried that she wouldn't be able to tell the difference if they were the same, but she knew that labor would hurt more. "Tami?" she asked softly, looking over at the blond haired woman. Tami looked up at her. "Yeah, hon?" Lyla bit her lip, swallowing easily. "Is it … is it going to hurt as much as it did before?" she asked her.

Tami bit her lip, moving to sit beside Lyla. She rubbed her hand over her arm, shaking her head. "I don't think so," she said honestly. "It's going to hurt. Don't get me wrong. It's going to hurt a lot, but I think a lot of last time was fear. That fear won't be there this time. This time there's going to be a happy ending," she told her. "I had a few miscarriages after we had Jules. It seems to me that when you know there's a happy ending, when the pain is bringing you something good, then it's easier to deal with," she said. Lyla smiled softly, nodding her head. "I'm not … afraid of the pain, per say. I guess I'm just worried that if it hurts like it did last summer that I'll be worried that it's all going to end in tears again, the way it did before," she admitted softly, chewing on her lip. Tami smiled, leaning over to kiss her forehead. "It's going to be great, Lyla. And when they lay that baby on your chest, everything else in the entire world is going to disappear."

Lyla nodded, smiling softly. "Thank you, Tami. For everything," she said sincerely. "I don't know how we would've gotten through this last year without you. Without Eric. Without the girls," she said as she looked up at Tami. Tami smiled easily, tears gathering in her eyes. "We wouldn't' have it any other way. You and Tim are a part of the family now. We're always going to be here for you, to help you, to take care of you," she assured the young girl, hugging her close as she rubbed her back easily, kissing the top of her head.

Later that night, Lyla shifted up for what felt like the nine billionth time. She whined softly as she started to stand, her hand wrapping around to support her stomach as she hunched over a bit. Tim shifted in the bed, mumbling a bit as he stretched his legs out. "Babe?" he asked softly, lifting his head when he felt her empty spot. "Bathroom," she reassured him, patting his leg as she shuffled into the bathroom. She did her business, rolling her eyes when only a tablespoon came out. "Seriously, you can't hold anymore than that?" she groaned, cleaning herself up before heading back to bed. She laid down, shifting and wiggling as she tried to get comfortable.

Tim lifted his head, looking over at her. "Someone's a fish out of water tonight," he commented, pushing her hair back from her face. Lyla looked over at him, bursting into tears after a moment. Tim looked alarmed, sitting up and flipping the light switch on. "Darling, what's wrong?" he asked her. Lyla sniffled, shaking her head. "I just can't get comfortable," she said between sobs. Tim leaned over and kissed her cheek, shifting up to get another couple of pillows out of the chest at the foot of the bed. He came back, helping her to sit up a bit so she was reclined, propping her up with pillows around her back and in between her knees. Lyla smiled softly, resting her head back. "Better?" he asked her. She nodded her head in agreement. "Better. Thank you," she said softly. He grinned, wiping her face before kissing her softly. "Good."

He flipped the light off and laid back down, turning his head on the pillow as he closed his eyes. Lyla laid her head back, closing her eyes and trying to sleep as she rubbed her hand over her stomach. Just as she was about to doze off, a sharp pain woke her back up. Her eyes popped open and she looked over at the clock, biting her lip. Tim snored softly beside her and she looked over at him, deciding to let him sleep. She didn't want to wake him if it was nothing but a false alarm. He had practice that day and he needed to be alert for it. She closed her eyes, managing to doze in between pains.

In the morning, she let Tim go off to practice, knowing that they weren't close enough to worry anyone. When Tami and Gracie showed up, they were closer together but still not as close as they needed to be. "Can we … can we go to the field instead?" Lyla asked, leaning against the counter as Tami packed the cooler with drinks and ice packs. Tami looked over at her, raising an eyebrow. "Lyla … what's going on?" she asked her, rubbing her hand over her back. "I'm pretty sure I've been in labor since about three am," she told her honestly with a nod of her head. "Lyla!" Tami scolded gently. Lyla laughed softly. "They're eight minutes apart still. They were twenty when Tim left for practice. There's still time, but I don't know how much. I just … I can't explain it. I just want to be at the field," she said as she licked her lips. Tami nodded. "Okay. Okay. We'll go to the field. Where's your hospital bag?" she asked her.

Lyla frowned, trying to think through the contraction that had taken a hold of her, but she was finding it harder and harder to concentrate during the pains. When it was over, she let out a soft moan and looked at Tami. "Um … our closet. I think Tim put it in there," she said with a nod of her head. Tami hurried into the bedroom to get it and came back out, loading up the car. Lyla came out behind her, sliding down into the passenger seat as Tami got Gracie into her seat. Lyla ran a hand over her stomach, humming softly. She and Tim still didn't know what they were having, wanting it to be a surprise, and now she was more excited than ever. The baby thumped against her hand and she smiled softly, laying her head back.

Eric looked up when he saw his wife, daughter, and Lyla settling down on the first row of the bleachers. He frowned easily at Tami, lowering his sunglasses as she grinned and shot a look at Lyla before looking back at Eric and giving a quick nod of her head. Eric grinned easily, the appearance of the three ladies suddenly making sense. He nodded at her, giving them all a wave before he turned back to practice. Tim had been running the team through calisthenics, his back to the bleachers, so he hadn't seen the girls arrive. "Hey, coach, what's your lady doing here?" one of the boys called out. Tim frowned, turning around as he lowered his aviators to look at Lyla. "Pushups! 50 more! Keep em coming!" Tim yelled to the team before he made his way over to the stands, leaning up on his toes to kiss Lyla. "What are you doing here?"

"Waiting to have a baby," she told him with a sly grin. Tim's jaw dropped, his glasses slipping out of his fingers. "Seriously? Right now?" he asked her. Lyla laughed. "Well, no. Not right now. We've still got some time. Don't worry, daddy. Go practice, I'll let you know when we need to get this show on the road," she assured him, kissing him again. Tim nodded, returning the kiss. He trusted her, trusted that she'd know the right thing to do. He leaned up, kissing her again and again before he pulled back and jogged back to the field.

Gracie looked up, a worried expression on her face when she heard Lyla moan again. Tami looked over at her daughter, lifting her up to hug her close, pressing a kiss to her cheek as she rubbed her back. "It's okay, honey. Lyla and Tim's baby is coming today!" she told her excitedly. Gracie bit her lip, watching as Lyla opened her eyes. Lyla smiled easily at her, nodding her head. "It's okay, Gracie Belle. I might make some funny noises, but it's okay. I'm okay. And Mama's right. The baby's going to be here today and then you can have a little playmate," she told her, reaching over to tickle the little girl's belly lightly. Gracie giggled, leaning over to give Lyla a kiss. "Promise?" the nearly-three-year-old asked. Lyla nodded her head. "I promise," she assured her, holding her pinky up for a pinky swear.

As practice came to a close, Lyla was having a harder and harder time getting through the contractions. They weren't much closer together, but they were longer, and she knew that was progress too. "Oh god," she whimpered as another one started, her fingers gripping the metal bench she was sitting on. Tami stood up, motioning to Eric. Eric nodded to her, jogging over to get Tim. "C'mon, Riggins. Show time," he told the younger man, squeezing his arm lightly. Tim shot a panicked look over at Lyla before he composed himself and nodded quickly. "Thanks, Coach," he said before he ran over to where Lyla was sitting. He sat down beside her, taking her hand and letting her squeeze his hand until the contraction was over. "Hospital?" he asked her with a smirk. Lyla nodded quickly. "Oh yeah," she agreed, allowing him to help her stand up.

Lyla's head dropped back with a deep moan, her hand tightening around Tim's. The sun had just begun to set when the doctor had finally told them that there was a light at the end of the tunnel. She'd been pushing for almost an hour at this point and now she was feeling like this was never going to be over. Tim squeezed her hand, pressing a cold cloth against her forehead. "C'mon, Garrity. Almost there," he encouraged her, helping her to sit back up. "It's Riggins now," she groaned, pressing her face against his shoulder as she gave another push, her fingers tightening around his even further. Tim grinned easily, kissing the top of her head. "Damn straight it is," he agreed, kissing her knuckles. Lyla bit down on her lip, stifling a scream as her toes clenched painfully, her legs shaking from the force of the pushes she was giving. "I can't … I need a break," she dropped her head back against Tim's shoulder.

Tim kissed her knuckles, nodding his head. "Okay, darling," he agreed, wiping her face down before pushing her hair back out of her face. Lyla panted, swallowing thickly as she tried to catch her breath. He grabbed an ice chip, rubbing it over her lips before pressing a deep kiss against them. Lyla moaned softly, a different moan this time, kissing him back just as deeply. She opened her eyes, nodding her head after a minute. "Okay. I'm ready," she said. Tim grinned easily, helping her to sit up again. Lyla took a deep breath, her whole body tensing as she pushed as hard as she could. This time, she couldn't hide her scream and it slipped out, echoing in the room. As her scream died down, the room went silent for a split second before another scream echoed in the room and Lyla dropped back against Tim's shoulder with a happy sob.

Tim grinned like a fool as the doctor lifted the screaming newborn up onto Lyla's chest. He moved their joined hands up, not wanting to let her hand go but being unable to keep from touching their child. He rubbed his knuckle over the baby's cheek softly, blinking back tears as the nurses covered the baby with a blanket, rubbing to warm the baby up and calm it down. "Wait … what is it? What do we have?" Lyla asked as she hugged the baby close. Tim shifted the blanket, lifting the baby's ankle a bit. He beamed, leaning down to kiss Lyla deeply. "We've got a girl, mama," he told her, rubbing his nose against the side of her head. "A girl?" Lyla let out a happy laugh, pulling the baby closer. "Yeah, darling, we got ourselves a girl," he told her, kissing her temple softly.

Tami looked up as Tim poked his head out of the room, motioning for them to come in. The doctor had cleaned Lyla up while the nurses had cleaned the baby up, the new parents eager for the older couple to come in and meet the baby. Tami hurried inside, grinning when she saw Lyla cradling the bundle in her arms. She moved over, kissing her cheek as she wrapped her arms around her. "Oh, honey!" she whispered. Lyla grinned easily, leaning against the woman who had become like her mother. "She looks like Timmy," she whispered with a nod. Eric grinned easily, looking over at Tim. "She?" he asked. Tim nodded, his hands on his hips as he grinned. "She," he confirmed. Eric laughed, holding his hand out to shake Tim's hand, slapping him on the back. "Payback is a bitch, son," he teased the younger man. Tim laughed, nodding his head. "Yes, yes it is," he agreed.

Lyla shifted, easing the baby into Tami's arms easily. "We'd like for you to meet Taylor Hope Riggins," she said, biting her lip easily as she watched the looks of emotion that crossed Tami and Eric's faces. "Taylor?" Tami asked softly as she cradled the baby close. Tim nodded his head easily, sitting down on the edge of Lyla's bed, wrapping his arm around her shoulder. "Taylor," he said as he looked between the coach and his wife. "Lyla and I never would have come this far if it wasn't for you guys. Neither one of us have had the best role models for parents and you taking us under your wings and helping us is more than we could have ever asked for. We're more than grateful to you for all that you've done for us," he said, his fingers squeezing Lyla's fingers easily.

Tami grinned easily, tears trickling down her face as she looked down at the baby. "Welcome to the world, Taylor Hope Riggins," she whispered to the baby, kissing her cheek. Eric cleared his throat easily, reaching for the baby. "Okay, woman, quit hogging her," he said as he took the baby into his arms, cradling her close. "You're a tiny little thing, aren't you?" he asked her, bouncing her gently when she made a whimpering noise. "She really does look like Tim, doesn't she?" he laughed, looking up at the new parents. Lyla nodded her head with a giggle. "She's his spitting image," she agreed, resting her head against Tim's shoulder. Eric nodded, looking down at Taylor. "Maybe you'll be my first female fullback," he told her, listening to the laughter in the room.

Later that night, while Lyla slept before Taylor's next feeding, Tim sat in the rocking chair beside her bed, holding his daughter close. He'd already counted her fingers about ten or twelve times, same as with her toes. He knew that he should try and get some sleep, since friends and family would be dropping by tomorrow to see the baby and offer their congratulations, but he couldn't seem to close his eyes. He watched Lyla sleep for a few moments before looking back down at Taylor. He felt more than grateful in that moment as he held her close, his lips kissing her forehead. For a man who'd been a screw up most of his life, never making the right choices, it seemed his bad luck days had finally come to an end. All it seemed to take was the love of a good woman. And in his case, women.


End file.
